Detroit motor show: Mercedes unveils all-new G-Class

Debra Rodriguez

It's having its coming out party at the Detroit Auto Show, and you can see the iconic design remains, with some throwbacks to the vintage years. The seats in the G-Class are equipped as standard with numerous convenience functions such as the Memory function for the driver's seat, seat heating front and rear, and luxury head restraints in the front.

Below the bonnet, the G-Class is a well-tweaked take on its predecessor. "The only thing that is more out of the box is a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, but it won't have the refinements a Mercedes customer is looking for".

Also stolen from the E/S-Class repertoire is a steering wheel with Blackberry-style haptic thumb pads for controlling content within the two dashboard screens, and a curved touchpad for infotainment control now makes its way into the G-Class for the first time. There's been a focus on increased stiffness, with torsional rigidity up by 55 per cent; ground clearance is up to 241mm; and maximum fording depth now stands at 70cm, 10cm greater than before. In many ways, the G-class is proudly anti-fashion. It sells best in Southern California, the Dallas metropolitan area and then South Florida.

Say hello to the all-new Mercedes-Benz G-Class!

Specification detail and pricing for the NZ market will be announced closer to launch later in 2018.

Other highlights include new LED headlights integrated into the round lights of the original, new driver assistance systems and all-new suspension. Driving all four wheels through a new 9-speed automatic transmission, the G-Class sounds like your typical modern family-oriented SUV. There's a huge payoff inside.

The new truck solves the cramped quarters as well, capitalizing on the exterior dimension stretch with an additional 1.5-inches of front leg and shoulder room. Interior elbow room is up by 68mm in the front - handy if the Christmas period has left you feeling a little wider than you did.

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The longer and wider body means more space inside the new G-Class. If you were anxious that this emphasis on luxury and comfort would compromise the off-road prowess of the G-Class, then fear not.

There is also a long-wheelbase version under development, which will add about 200mm to the GLB's overall length and a third row of seats to deliver seven-seat capacity.

An electrified version may also be in the works, with company chief Dieter Zetsche hinting at a possible G-Class EV during the car's launch in Detroit, reports Engadget.

The vehicle does not feature too many exterior changes and it still has the boxy looks it is known for. "Everyone in the industry needs to earn the billions necessary to invest in new technology".

The interior has undergone fundamental changes, though the digital "widescreen cockpit" is an option.

With the automaker just now giving the G class its most thorough redesign since the venerable off-roader was launched almost 40 years ago, a fully electric version probably wouldn't happen for quite a while.

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